Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard will go the Shaquille O'Neal route and officially crossover into a recording artist, as Thursday transitions to midnight Friday, October 21. The 2-time All-Star announced the news via Twitter early Thursday, just days after dropping the single "Hero," featuring Raphael Saadiq.
The Letter O will be the first project professionally released by Lillard, whom under the moniker Dame Dolla, has gained a reputation for his rap proficiency over the past year. The relevance of its title has to do with the places Lillard has come to call home over the course of his rise, from the streets of Oakland to the Oregon arena where he's made a name for himself. Despite the cliche, one look at the track-listing should answer the question as to whether Lillard's foray into Hip Hop is a gimmick, as appearances by Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Jamie Foxx, Raphael Saadiq and Marsha Ambrosius would suggest otherwise.
Whether directly from his social media and Soundcloud accounts or through appearances on Sway In The Morning and other mainstream platforms, the 26-year-old former Rookie Of The Year flexes his bars with an occasional freestyle. He has shown his range of subject matter and styles through such singles as "Bigger Than Us," "They Sleep," and "Soldier In The Game." While there have been rap greats [Nas' affinity for the Shaq Diesel album, for example] who've attested to their favor of ballplayers who've dabbled in rap; several players [most notably: Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Jason Kidd] have tried to establish themselves in the game, but came up short. Lillard may have an advantage with the Christian and socially conscious rap niches, both of which his material has appealed to in the past.
Source: twitter.com
